Closure mounting means for underfloor wiring ducts



Aug. f20, 1963 T. w. MURRAY v3,101,097

cLosuRE MOUNTING MEANS FOR UNDERFLooR WIRING nUcTs Filed may 25, 1962 Q7NTOR PATENT AGENT UnitedStates Patent() 3,101,097 CLGSURE MUNTING MEANSFOR UNDERFLOOR WRING DUCTS Thomas W. Murray, 357 Cortleigh Blvd.,Toronto, Gntario, Canada Filed May 25, 1952, Ser. No. 197,715 3 Claims.(Cl. 13S-92) This invention relates to closure supporting elements forunderlloor wiring ducts.

In underiloor wiring systems, it is common practice to provideaccessible closure plates either directly on the wiring ducts themselvesor on other openings leading to the ducts whereby access to the ductsmay be readily effeced. Itis necessary, of course, to provide-rnountings for the plates in association with the ducts. Since pouringof the concrete or like lloor must occur subsequently to theinstallation of the wiring ducts, damage to or marring of the closuremountings frequently takes place.

It is an object of this invention to provide a closure mounting stripfor underlloor wiring ducts which is of simple structure and which maybe readily employed to present an nnmarred exposed surface in thefinished lloor.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a closure mountingstrip having opposed side faces and opposed longitudinal edges, and ailange adjoining each said edge and extending angularly fromandcontiguous to the adjoining one of said side faces, each said llangebeing substantially coextensive in length with said strip, eac-l1 saidllange having a planar edge surface in substan- 'tially parallel spacedrelation to the .adjoining one of said side faces, one of said flangeedge surfaces being spaced from the adjoining one of said side faces agreater distance than the other of said flange edge surfaces is spacedfrom the adjoining one of said side faces, whereby said strip may beselectively positioned to present flanges of varying height.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which,

LFIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of an underiloor duct and associatedelements in accordance with the invention, and

FIGURE Z is a plan view.

`In the drawing, the underlloor duct shown comprises a bottom channelmember l having a bottom wall 2, side walls 3, 'and longitudinal edgeflanges '4, and top members 5 each having a side wall 6 in overlappingengagement with a side wall 3, a flange 7 overlying a flange 4 and avertically disposed lip 8 extending upwardly from flange 7`.

In the particular form of duct illustrated, the vertical height thereofis adjustable by movingthe top members up or down relatively to thebottom channel 1 by means of `adjusting screws 9, the elements beingsecured in adjusted position by means of hold down screws 9a.

The closure mounting strip in accordance with the invention comprises `ametal or like strip 1d having opposed side faces 11 and 12 and opposedlongitudinal edges 13. A flange 14 extends perpendicularly from sideface 11 adjoining an edge 13, and a flange 15 extends perpendicularlyfrom sfide face 12 adjoining the other edge 13. The ilanges 14 and 15are of different height, i.e., llange 14 has a longitudinal edge 16lying in a plane spaced from the adjoining face 11 a greater distancethan the spacing between the longitudinal edge v,(17 of flange 15 fromthe side face 12. The difference in height is that of the thickness ofthe finishing lloor tile or like covering indicated at 18. For instance,this dillerence may be one-eighth inch. The flanges 14 and 15 arecoextensive in length with the strip 10.

The duct cover plate is indicated at 19.

In use, with the adjusted duct in position in the floor, a strip 1li isplaced upon each flange 7 of the top members ice 1 `5 with the face 12thereof in engaging or facing relation to the llange 7. Each llange 15is thus upwardly directed and is in substantial engagement with `a lip 8and each flange 14 is downwardly directed and in substantial engagementwith the opposed portion of a side wall 6.

The height of each flange 15 is such that its edge r17 is substantiallyflush with the edge of lip 8. The cover plate 19 may then be placed inposition with its side edge portions engaging and overlying the sidefaces 12. It will be observed that the exposed face of cover plate issubstantially flush with the edges 1'7 of the mounting strips.

The concrete or other cementitious flooring material 2i? is then pouredwhereby the exposed face 2d thereof is` substantially flush with theexposed face of the cover plate, the edges 17 of the mounting strips,and the edges of hips 8. No special care need be taken to protect thelongitudinal edges 17 during the pouring or travelling steps incidentalto the laying of the llooring material 2l); When the lloor 20 iscompleted, the cover plate 19 is removed and the strips 1)` are reversedin position. In

other words, each strip 1t) is turned to place its Iface 11 in engagingrelation with flange '7 and its face 12 exposed, in such position flange14 is upwardly directed and engaging a lip S and flange 15 is downwardlydirected. ln this position, it will be observed that the edges 16 of thestrips are spaced above the exposed face 21 of the concrete iloor Z0.`Since the edges 16 have been disposed within the duct during theplacing of the floor 2t), they will be in fresh, clean and unmarredcondition when the strips 10 are placed in reverse position. The coverplate 19' lis then replaced and the floor covering 18 laid with itsexposed face 18a substantially flush with the edges 16 of the mountingstrips. Each face 11 and 12 may be provided with a sealing gasket 22.

It will be observed that the right hand side of FIGURE ,f1 illustratesthe position of strips 10 during the placing of iloor 2t)` while theleft hand side of FIGURE 1 illustrates the position of the strips in thefinished lloor.

I claim:

1. A closure mounting means for underfloor wiring ducts which comprisesa strip having opposed side faces, opposed longitudinal edges, and alange adjoining each said edge, one of said flanges extending angularlyfrom and continuous to one of said side faces and the other of saidflanges extending angularly from and contiguous to the other one of saidside faces, each said ilange being substantially coextensive in lengthwith said strip, each said flange having a planar edge surface insubstantially parallel spaced relation to the adjoining one of said sidefaces, one of said flange edge surfaces being spaced from the adjoiningone of said side faces a greater distance than the other of said flangeedge surfaces is spaced from the adjoining one of said side faceswhereby one of said flanges is of greater height `than the other of saidllanges, and means forming a generally horizontal supporting surface forsaid strip, said strip having a first position on said supportingsurface wherein one of said side surfaces of said strip is seatedthereon and a second position on said supporting surface wherein theother of said side surfaces of said strip is seated Ithereon whereby insaid first position said ilange of lesser height projects above saidsupporting surface and in said second position said llange of greaterheight projects above said supporting surface.

2. In an underfloor wiring duct having la top opening, a horizontallydisposed supporting surface defining at least in part said top opening,a lip extending upwardly` from said supporting surface, and a closureplate arranged for support on said supporting surface, closure mountingn .3 contiguous to one of said side faces and the other of said flangesextending angularly from and contiguous to the other one of said sidefaces, each said flange beingvsubstantially coextensive Lin length withsaid strip, each said flange having a planar edge, surface insubstantially parallel spaced relation to the Vadjoining one of saidside faces, one of said ange edge surfaces being spaced from theadjoining one of said side faces a greater distance than the other ofsaid flange edge surfaces is` spaced from fthe adjoining one of saidside lfaces, whereby one of said flanges is of greater height than theother of said anges, and means forming a generally horizon-talsupporting surface for saiid strip, said strip having a first positionon said supporting surface wherein one of said side surfaces of saidstrip is seated thereon and a second position on said supporting surfacewherein the other of said side surfaces of said strip is seated thereonwhereby in said rst posi tion said ange of lesser height projects abovesaid supi porting surface and in said second position said flange ofgreater height projects above said supporting surface.

3. A closure mounting means as dened in claim 2, said strip ange oflesser height having an edge substanti-ally flush with the edge of saidIlip when one of said side faces is seated upon said supporting surface,sa'id strip flange of greater height having an edge projecting abovesaid lip edge when the other of said side faces is seated upon saidsupporting surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,763,294 Kennedy Sept. 18, 1956 2,812,654 Hoseason Nov. l12, 19572,936,092 Johnson May 10, 1960 y3,025,884- Iohnson Mar. 20, 19623,074,208 Seidel May 25, 1962

1. A CLOSURE MOUNTING MEANS FOR UNDERFLOOR WIRING DUCTS WHICH COMPRISESA STRIP HAVING OPPOSED SIDE FACES, OPPOSED LONGITUDINAL EDGES, AND AFLANGE ADJOINING EACH SAID EDGE, ONE OF SAID FLANGES EXTENDING ANGULARLYFROM AND CONTINUOUS TO ONE OF SAID SIDE FACES AND THE OTHER OF SAIDFLANGES EXTENDING ANGULARLY FROM AND CONTIGUOUS TO THE OTHER ONE OF SAIDSIDE FACES, EACH SAID FLANGE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE IN LENGTHWITH SAID STRIP, EACH SAID FLANGE HAVING A PLANAR EDGE SURFACE INSUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL SPACED RELATION TO THE ADJOINING ONE OF SAID SIDEFACES, ONE OF SAID FLANGE EDGE SURFACES BEING SPACED FROM THE ADJOININGONE OF SAID SIDE FACES A GREATER DISTANCE THAN THE OTHER OF SAID FLANGEEDGE SURFACES IS SPACED FROM THE ADJOINING ONE OF SAID SIDE FACESWHEREBY ONE OF SAID FLANGES IS OF GREATER HEIGHT THAN THE OTHER OF SAIDFLANGES, AND MEANS FORMING A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL SUPPORTING SURFACE FORSAID STRIP, SAID STRIP HAVING A FIRST POSITION ON SAID SUPPORTINGSURFACE WHEREIN ONE OF SAID SIDE SURFACES OF SAID STRIP IS SEATEDTHEREON AND A SECOND POSITION ON SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE WHEREIN THEOTHER OF SAID SIDE SURFACES OF SAID STRIP IS SEATED THEREON WHEREBY INSAID FIRST POSITION SAID FLANGE OF LESSER HEIGHT PROJECTS ABOVE SAIDSUPPORTING SURFACE AND IN SAID SECOND POSITION SAID FLANGE OF GREATERHEIGHT PROJECTS ABOVE SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE.